Cloth laying machine



Jan. 26, 1937. J A. H; LESSEN ET AL 2,068,806

CLOTH LAYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 10} 1956 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l Mom a Jan. 26, 1937.

A. H. LESSEN ET AL CLOTH LAYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 10, 19 56 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v as 5 411; fl u: 1 2 212 16 2 Y 27 2, J7 1a 2.5 19

gwue/wto w 75m H lessen/i George 7. @wiew I Patented Jan. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTH LAYING MACHINE Application August 10, 1936, Serial No. 95,292

Claims.

The present invention relates to cloth laying machines and refers particularly to that type of machine which is adapted to travel back and forth along a table during the cloth laying operation. These machines usually comprise a wheeled carriage and a cloth supporting platform pivotally mounted thereon to permit reversal of the platform when the carriage has reached the end of its travel. While these machines are quite satisfactory in operation, we have found that there is a tendency for the cloth supporting platform to rotate relative to the carriage during the travel of the machine and thus impair the efliciency of the device. It is therefore an object of the present invention to eliminate this undesirable feature and to provide a machine having means for preventing relative rotation of the platform and carriage during its travel. We accomplish this by utilizing one of the cloth guides and mounting the same so that it not only performs its function as a guide but also locks the carriage and platform against relative rotation during the travel of the machine.

A further object contemplates adjustably mounting one or more of the guide rollers, which engage the side edges of the table, on the carriage to adapt the machine for use with tables of various widths or to irregularities in the side edges of the tables.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will now be more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating one side of the machine.

Figure 2 is an elevation illustrating the opposite side of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3 and Figure 5 is a detailed view of the adjust-ably mounted guide rollers.

Generally our cloth laying machine comprises a carriage adapted to travel back and forth along a cloth receiving table and a cloth supporting platform pivotally mounted upon the carriage and provided with one or more cloth guides located adjacent one end thereof. One of these guides is pivotally and swingably mounted upon the platform and has side arms which connect with the cloth guiding portion and which, when in the operative position of the guide, extend downwardly at the sides of the carriage and table and lock these two members against relative rotation.

This machine is also provided with sets of 'adapt itself to different widths of tables and also to irregularities in the side edges of the table.

Referring now to the drawings there is disclosed the specific embodiment of our invention wherein the numeral l0 designates the cloth laying machine comprising a' carriage II and a cloth supporting platform l2 pivotally mounted thereon to permit the platform to be reversed when it reaches the end of its travel on the table.

The carriage has a substantially flat horizontal supporting surface l3, preferably of wood, which is supported between spaced metal brackets i l in any suitable manner, such as by bolts or screws l5. Each bracket is formed at opposite ends with depending arms l6 having inwardly projecting bearingsfor the reception of wheels ll. The arms of one bracket are also formed with outwardly and downwardly projecting mountings 18 for the reception of guide rollers H], which are adapted to contact with one longitudinal edge of the cloth receiving table 20, during movement of the carriage.

It will be observed that the other bracket, in addition to having the arms 16, is also provided with a centralprojection 2| upon which is mounted the means for adjustably supporting theother set of guide rollers. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 5, the lower end of the projection 2| is bent inwardly to form a horizontal mounting or shelf 22. Projecting downwardly from this shelf are a pair of spaced bearings 23 for the reception of the inner ends of levers 24. To the outer end of each lever is secured a roller 25 and both the roller and lever are normally urged inwardly by means of a coil spring 26 having its opposite ends connected to the lever and shelf respectively. In order that the springs may not force -the levers and rollers inwardly beyond a certain point, stoppins 21 are provided and these are carried by and project below the shelf.

With the arrangement as above described, the machine is mounted upon the table 20 with-the wheels I! engaging the top surface of the table adjacentthe edges thereof. The rollers l9 and 25, as shown in Figure i, will engage opposite side edges of the table and thereby guide the machine on the table during the cloth laying operation. By reason of'the rollers 25 andthe levers 24 being pivotally and adjustably mounted on the projection 20, it will be apparent that the machine may be adapted to tables of various widths or to irregularities in the lateral surfaces or edges of the table.

Any desired means may be utilized for rotatably mounting the platform I2 upon the carriage I I and in the present instance we provide a boss or plate 28 having an aperture for the reception of a stud or king pin 29. This stud is provided with a head 30 secured in a recess in the platform I2 and a shouldered shank 3| which projects through the boss 28 and is secured against axial movement by means of a nut 32. A washer 33 is positioned upon the boss 28 and interposed between the members I 2 and I3 to provide sufficient clearance and eliminate binding between the platform and the carriage. In order that the platform I2 may rotate freely with respect to the carriage, the former has formed therein a plurality of sockets 34 arranged in a circle and lined with suitable metal inserts 35 for the reception of balls 36. The platform I2 is provided in its undersurface with a track 31 adapted to align and contact with the balls 36.

The cloth, shown in dotted lines, may be either in the form of a bolt as shown in Figure 1 or a roll as disclosed in Figure 2. In one instance, it is merely laid upon the platform I2 but if it is in the form of a roll, it will have a rod or shaft extending through the center thereof and this will be rotatably supported between the uprights 38. In either instance, however, the cloth will be fed over stationary guides 39 and 4!] respectively and will then be guided onto the table by the guide 4 I This element constitutes one of the novel features of this invention and, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, is of substantially U-shaped formation having a horizontal cloth guiding portion 42 and side legs 43 projecting outwardly beyond the planes of the edges of the platform and carriage. The free ends of the legs 43 are bent inwardly as at 44 and are journaled in suitable bearings 45 to permit the guide to swing from an inoperative position above the platform to the operative position shown in Figures 1 and 2. It will be observed that when the guide 4| is in its lower operative guiding position shown in these figures, the arms or legs 43 extend downwardly exteriorly of the side edges of the platform and carriage and thereby lock these two members against relative rotation. As the machine travels over the table and assuming that the guide 4| is in its operative lowered position, the platform I2 is thus retained in a fixed position and prevented from swinging to either side of the table. When the machine reaches one end of the table, and it is desired to reverse the platform, it is merely necessary for the operator to lift the guide 4| to a position above the carriage and platform and then rotate the latter about its pivot. By reason of the ball bearing track, this will be easily accomplished. By lowering the guide 4|, the platform I2 will again be locked against rotation and the machine will be ready for its return movement to the other end of the table for laying another layer of cloth.

With the use of our novel machine, it will be obvious that we have provided a structure which eliminates one of the objectionable features of the prior art in that rotation of the cloth supporting platform relative to the carriage is positively prevented during movement of the machine. Furthermore, by adjustably mounting one pair of the guide rollers on the carriage, any inaccuracies in the edges of the table are taken care of and the machine is adapted for use with different widths of tables.

We claim:

1. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform movably mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide carried by one of said members and operable to prevent relative movement between said carriage and platform.

2. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform movably mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide carried by one of said members and operable when in operative position to prevent relative movement between said carriage and platform.

3. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform pivotally mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide carried by one of said members and operable when in operative position to prevent relative rotation between said carriage and platform.

4. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform movably mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide carried by said platform and operable when in operative position to prevent relative movement between said carriage and platform.

5. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform pivotally mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide carried by said platform and operable when in operative position to prevent relative rotation between said carriage and platform.

6. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform pivotally mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide mounted on said platform to swing from an inoperative raised position to an operative lower position and operable when in its lower position to prevent relative rotation between said carriage and platform.

7. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform pivotally mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide journalled on and adjacent one end of said platform to swing from an inoperative raised position to an operative lower position and operable when in its lower position to prevent relative rotation between said carriage and platform.

8. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform pivotally mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide comprising a cloth engaging portion and arms connecting said portion and mounted on said platform to swing from a raised inoperative position to a lower cloth guiding position and constituting in said lower position a lock to prevent relative rotation between said carriage and platform.

9. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform pivotally mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide of substantially U-formation having a cloth guiding portion and arms connecting said portion and swingably mounted on said platform, said arms when in a lowered position engaging the side edges of said carriage and platform and constituting a lock to prevent relative rotation of said members.

10. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel along a table, a cloth supporting platform pivotally mounted on said carriage, and a cloth guide of substantially U-formation having a cloth guiding portion and arms connecting said portion, the end of each arm being pivotally mounted adjacent one end of said platform at one side thereof with the major portion of the arm position in a plane beyond the edges of the platform and carriage whereby the cloth guide may be swung to a lowered operative position and lock said carriage and platform against relative rotative movement.

11. In a cloth laying machine, a cloth supporting carriage adapted to travel along a table, rollers projecting downwardly from said carriage and adapted to engage the side edges of the table to guide the carriage during its travel along the table, and means positioned at one side of the carriage and adjustably supporting one of the rollers to permit movement of the roller relative to the carriage.

12. In a cloth laying machine, a cloth supporting carriage adapted to travel along a table, rollers projecting downwardly from said carriage and adapted to engage the side edges of the table to guide the carriage during its travel along the table, the roller at one side of the carriage being laterally movable with respect thereto and spring-pressed inwardly to allow for different widths of tables.

13. In a cloth laying machine, a cloth supporting carriage adapted to travel along a table,

a roller projecting downwardly from said carriage at one side thereof and rigidly secured thereto, and roller mounting means at the opposite side of said carriage comprising a lever pivotally mounted on said carriage and urged inwardly, towards said carriage and table, and a roller carried by the outer end of said lever.

14. In a cloth laying machine, a cloth supporting carriage adapted to travel along a table, a roller projecting downwardly from said carriage at one side thereof and rigidly secured thereto, and roller mounting means at the opposite side of said carriage comprising a lever pivotally mounted on said carriage, a roller carried by the outer end of said lever, and spring means connecting said lever and carriage and urging said roller inwardly toward said carriage.

15. In a cloth laying machine, a cloth supporting carriage adapted to travel along a table, a roller projecting downwardly from said carriage at one side thereof and rigidly secured thereto, and roller mounting means at the opposite side of said carriage comprising a lever having one end thereof pivotally mounted on said carriage, a roller carried by the other end of said lever, a coil spring connecting said lever and carriage and urging said roller inwardly toward said carriage, and a stop mounted on said carriage for limiting the inward movement of said lever and roller.

AARON H. LESSEN. GEO. H. ROWIES. CYRIL F. DOUGHERTY. 

